Retired judge and former legislator Tad Jude announced he’s running for Minnesota secretary of state. But who the Republican may face in that midterm race next year is still up in the air.
“After many years of service to our great state, I’m stepping forward to protect the integrity of our elections,” said Jude, 73, who served as a district court judge for more than a decade, following multiple terms as a county commissioner and state legislator.
“Minnesotans deserve a Secretary of State who values transparency and accountability,” Jude added. “It’s time to end the doubts plaguing our election system and rebuild confidence in every vote cast.”
Jude, of Maple Grove, has run for statewide office once before (he lost a Republican endorsement battle for attorney general in 2022). He doesn’t yet know who his challenger (or challengers) might be. But he said his impetus for running is simple.
He described current Secretary of State Steve Simon’s tenure as “insufficiently transparent,” and he pledged a different direction for the office.
“As Secretary of State, I will implement safeguards to ensure only eligible citizens vote while keeping the process accessible and secure for everyone,” Jude said. “This is about preserving the foundation of our democracy.”
It’s not yet known if Simon, a two-term DFLer from St. Louis Park, will run for a third term as secretary of state. Before Gov. Tim Walz officially announced last week that he’ll seek a third term as governor, Simon and Attorney General Keith Ellison were rumored as gubernatorial candidates in waiting.
While Simon won his 2022 reelection bid over Republican challenger Kim Crockett by more than 200,000 votes, the last three years have seen the Democrat face more scrutiny over election integrity issues.
Simon’s record during DFL trifecta
Simon has tried to position himself as a pragmatic secretary of state focused on improving access to the polls for voters who encounter hurdles.
But Simon has been criticized by Republicans and election integrity organizations for a number of new laws he’s pushed in the legislature over the last two years.
During Simon’s most recent term as Minnesota’s top elections official, the DFLer has strongly advocated for the expansion of ranked-choice voting across Minnesota. He also backed the following legislation that passed during a Democrat majority:
- Pop-up early voting locations on college campuses
- Restoration of voting rights for convicted felons still serving probation
- Voting pre-registration for 16- and 17-year-olds
- Automatic voter registration anytime an individual interacts with a state agency
- Permanent absentee voter rolls, which allows all voters, irrespective of disability status or age, to register online to permanently vote absentee
Jude pledges to strengthen voter ID laws, regular audits of voter registration
Jude said that although he’s running as a Republican, he’ll work with Minnesotans “of all political parties to make our elections the gold standard.”
“Accessibility, accuracy, and accountability are essential and will be my top priority from day one,” he added.
Jude listed his top priorities should he win election next November:
- Strengthening voter ID requirements, including photo IDs
- Regular audits of voter registration lists to remove inaccuracies and keep rolls current
- Enhancing election system cybersecurity
- Bipartisan election oversight to increase transparency across party lines
- Cooperation with federal partners to ensure fair and free elections in Minnesota
Hank Long
Hank Long is a journalism and communications professional whose writing career includes coverage of the Minnesota legislature, city and county governments and the commercial real estate industry. Hank received his undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota, where he studied journalism, and his law degree at the University of St. Thomas. The Minnesota native lives in the Twin Cities with his wife and four children. His dream is to be around when the Vikings win the Super Bowl.
